Lipoma

Case description: A male patient, 82 years old, with no relevant medical history, was referred by his doctor to diagnose an alteration on the tongue. At the objective examination, a submucosal nodular lesion, approximately 1 cm in diameter, was observed in the anterior region of the lingual dorsum, with about three months of evolution, not associated with painful symptomatology. An excisional biopsy was performed whose anatomopathological examination revealed that it was a lipoma. At the follow-up visit, six months later, there was no evidence of recurrence of the lesion. Discussion: Lipoma is a benign neoplasm with origin in adipose tissue. Although 15-20% of lipomas occur in the head and neck region, only 1 to 4% appear in the oral cavity, accounting for 0.1 to 5% of all benign tumours. Although this tumour has a limited growth potential intraorally, its presence may have aesthetic and functional implications. In addition to other benign lesions, the differential diagnosis should also include liposarcoma, a malignant neoplasm, and clinical diagnosis should always be confirmed histologically. After surgical excision, its recurrence is very rare, presenting, therefore, a very favourable prognosis. Conclusion: Benign tumorlike lesions are relatively common in the oral cavity. Their diagnosis must be histological and the treatment surgical thus they should be submitted to excisional biopsy. The dentist, for his privileged contact with patients, plays a fundamental role in the diagnosis and treatment of these lesions. Keywords: lipoma, benign tumour, oral pathology, biopsy